Goblin Fire Fiend MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Goblin Berserker
Abilities Haste
Power 1
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Goblin Fire Fiend swings board dynamics, offering instant speed and card advantages during crucial plays.
  2. Despite its strengths, the card’s specific mana and discard requirements can limit its strategic use.
  3. Its versatility and meta relevance make Goblin Fire Fiend a compelling choice for red-aggressive decks.

Text of card

Haste Goblin Fire Fiend must be blocked if able. : Goblin Fire Fiend gets +1/+0 until end of turn.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Goblin Fire Fiend card can unexpectedly swing the board in your favor by dealing damage while setting you up for future plays. This can disrupt your opponent’s strategy and provide a card edge in tight situations.

Resource Acceleration: By potentially clearing the path of smaller creatures, Goblin Fire Fiend paves the way for more significant threats. This strategic removal can accelerate the resource imbalance between you and your adversary, tipping the scales to your benefit.

Instant Speed: The swiftness of instant-speed spells like Goblin Fire Fiend provides the flexibility to react during your opponent’s turn or end phase, keeping them guessing and strategically outmaneuvering their tactics on the fly.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement:The Goblin Fire Fiend card necessitates you to discard a card to utilize its full potential. In the heat of battle when each card in your hand counts, having to part with one can hinder your strategy and give your opponents a noteworthy advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting of Goblin Fire Fiend requires a particular arrangement of mana, including a demand for red mana. This condition may not always align with your deck’s mana base, especially if you are running a multicolored deck, which could delay or even prevent you from playing this card when you need it.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the effects of this creature can be game-changing, its comparatively high mana cost could slow down your game plan. When it comes to deck building, mana efficiency is key, and there are plenty of other goblins or creatures that offer valuable abilities for a lower mana investment.


Reasons to Include Goblin Fire Fiend in Your Collection

Versatility: Goblin Fire Fiend offers flexibility in deck-building, fitting seamlessly into aggressive red decks that thrive on swift and impactful plays. Its ability to cause direct damage while serving as an attacker makes it a dual threat on the board.

Combo Potential: This creature’s haste and firebreathing ability enable it to synergize with cards that increase red mana production or benefit from creatures dealing damage. It works well in combos that aim to deliver a sudden burst of damage to opponents.

Meta-Relevance: In metagames where quick creature-based strategies dominate, Goblin Fire Fiend holds its own as a cost-effective threat that demands an answer. Its potential to apply early pressure can shape the pace of the game in your favor.


How to beat

Goblin Fire Fiend is a card that can challenge opponents with its potential for quick damage in Magic: The Gathering. If you’re facing this fiery creature, it’s important to be prepared. One effective method to counter Goblin Fire Fiend is to utilize removal spells that can dispatch it before it becomes too much of a threat. Cards like Fatal Push or Path to Exile can be valuable tools in your strategy.

On top of instant speed removals, constructing a deck with enough early blockers can prevent the Fiend from dealing its damage. Cheap creatures with decent toughness or those with reach can deter it from attacking, absorbing the impact and keeping your life total safe. Furthermore, since Goblin Fire Fiend thrives in red aggressive decks, life gain strategies could also help you sustain through the initial onslaught and turn the game in your favor over time.

Being proactive is key against Goblin Fire Fiend. By staying one step ahead with efficient removal, strategic blocking, and bolstering your life total, you can mitigate the impact of this aggressive MTG card and maintain control over the pace of the game.


Cards like Goblin Fire Fiend

The Goblin Fire Fiend is an intriguing combatant in the realm of red creature spells in MTG. It finds a kinship with cards like Goblin Arsonist, which shares the goblin trait and a penchant for dealing direct damage. Yet, while Goblin Arsonist can inflict damage upon death to any target, the Goblin Fire Fiend stands out with its haste ability, letting it swing into action immediately after hitting the battlefield.

Looking at another family member, the Raging Goblin also boasts haste, but it lacks additional firepower outside of its attack phase. As a swift aggressor, Goblin Fire Fiend has the advantage with its power-stoking ability that can amplify its damage output for a burst of power. This can be pivotal during combat, where the developed strategy could shift the tide of the skirmish.

Ultimately, within the goblin-themed decks and red creature spells, the Goblin Fire Fiend earns its place with the versatile combination of immediate attack potential and power augmentation, making it a valuable asset to any player aiming to bring the heat early on in the game.

Goblin Arsonist - MTG Card versions
Raging Goblin - MTG Card versions
Goblin Arsonist - Rise of the Eldrazi (ROE)
Raging Goblin - Portal (POR)

Cards similar to Goblin Fire Fiend by color, type and mana cost

Dragon Whelp - MTG Card versions
Keldon Warlord - MTG Card versions
Crimson Manticore - MTG Card versions
Márton Stromgald - MTG Card versions
Reckless Embermage - MTG Card versions
Wildfire Emissary - MTG Card versions
Flowstone Giant - MTG Card versions
Rathi Dragon - MTG Card versions
Mogg Bombers - MTG Card versions
Warmonger - MTG Card versions
Bloodfire Kavu - MTG Card versions
Whipkeeper - MTG Card versions
Anger - MTG Card versions
Nalathni Dragon - MTG Card versions
Everquill Phoenix - MTG Card versions
Goblin Goon - MTG Card versions
Lesser Gargadon - MTG Card versions
Krark-Clan Engineers - MTG Card versions
Shimatsu the Bloodcloaked - MTG Card versions
Ogre Taskmaster - MTG Card versions
Dragon Whelp - Limited Edition Beta (LEB)
Keldon Warlord - Collectors' Edition (CED)
Crimson Manticore - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Márton Stromgald - Ice Age (ICE)
Reckless Embermage - Mirage (MIR)
Wildfire Emissary - Mirage (MIR)
Flowstone Giant - Tempest (TMP)
Rathi Dragon - Tempest (TMP)
Mogg Bombers - Stronghold (STH)
Warmonger - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Bloodfire Kavu - Apocalypse (APC)
Whipkeeper - Odyssey (ODY)
Anger - Judgment (JUD)
Nalathni Dragon - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Everquill Phoenix - Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths (IKO)
Goblin Goon - Legions (LGN)
Lesser Gargadon - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Krark-Clan Engineers - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Shimatsu the Bloodcloaked - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Ogre Taskmaster - Ninth Edition (9ED)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Goblin Fire Fiend MTG card by a specific set like Salvat 2005 and Ravnica: City of Guilds, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Goblin Fire Fiend and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Goblin Fire Fiend Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2005-08-22 and 2005-10-07. Illustrated by Paolo Parente.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL I52003normalwhitePaolo Parente
22005-10-07Ravnica: City of GuildsRAV 1272003normalblackPaolo Parente

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Goblin Fire Fiend has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Goblin Fire Fiend card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2005-10-01 If Goblin Fire Fiend is attacking, the defending player must assign at least one blocker to it during the declare blockers step if that player controls any creatures that could block Goblin Fire Fiend.

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